Improvement in ladders



J. STILES.

- Fruit Ladder.

Patented Sept. 15, 1863.

A a l wmmN UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH STILES, OF SALEM, MICHIGAN.

IMPROVEMENT'IN LADDERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 39,970, dated September 15, 1863.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosEPrr STILES, of Salem, in. the county of WVashtena-w and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful improvement in Fruit-Ladders; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents a perspective view of my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the same.

Similar letters of reference in both views indicate corresponding parts.

A represents a ladder, made in the ordinary manner, its sides a being connected by rounds b, and this ladder is hinged at the top by pivots c to the support B. This supportis made in every respect like the ladder, with two sides, at, that may be connected by rounds e, and the ladder and support are arranged so that they can be folded up or spread and placed at any angle that may be desired.

(J is aplatform, which is provided on its under side and near to one end with two cleats,

f-one on either side of the top round, I), of the ladder Aand on its other end a cleat, g, is firmly secured. After the platform has been placed on the round I) of the ladder, and in the corresponding round eof the support, a strip, h, is nailed firmly to the under side of the cleats fg, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. By these means the platform is hinged to the top round, I), and the round 6 of the support is confined betweenthe strip h onits under, and the platform on its upper, side, being free, however, to more toward or from the round b of the ladder, aswill be readily understood by referring to Fig. 2 of the drawings. In spreading the ladder and the support, the rounde slides out in the space between the platform and strip, keeping the platform always in a horizontal position, no matter how far the ladder may be spread. A convenient place is thus provided to stand upon in picking fruit from trees, and sufficient room is afforded besides to place the basket upon. The platform, being firmly confined by the rounds e and b, is not liable to tilt over from any accident and it requires no adjustment. Whenever the ladder is opened and put down for use, the platform is brought antomatically in the correct position.

The whole deviceis so simple that it can be made at a trifling expense, it requires no skill- 

